Lagerstroemia (indica×fauriei) plant named ‘JD900’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of  Lagerstroemia  ( indica×fauriei ) plant named ‘JD900’, characterized by its unique blooming time, dense, broad and spreading to weeping growth habit, fast growth rate and attractive light pink flowers which quickly change to white is disclosed.

Genus species: Lagerstroemia (indica×fauriei).

Varietal denomination: ‘JD900’.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Crapemyrtle of the genus Lagerstroemia and member of the Lythraceae family. This new Crapemyrtle variety, hereinafter referred to as ‘JD900’, was discovered by John McNair Davy in May, 1998 in Milton, Fla. ‘JD900’ is characterized by its unique blooming time, dense, broad and spreading to weeping growth habit, fast growth rate, and attractive light pink flowers which quickly change to white.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

‘JD900’ was found in a cultivated area as an openly pollinated seedling in a group of Lagerstroemia (indica×fauriei) ‘Acoma’ (unpatented) seedling plants being grown in a controlled environment in outside nursery in Milton, Fla. and was subsequently tested and evaluated primarily in Milton, Fla. and Loxley, Ala. The references in this application to these various evaluations will refer primarily to these two locations. The objective of the breeding program was to create new Crapemyrtle varieties which have unique blooming periods, bloom colors, and growth habits.

Asexual propagation of the new plant by cuttings has been under Mr. Davy's direction and control in Milton, Fla. and Loxley, Ala. The new plant retains its distinctive characteristics and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction. The plant cannot be reproduced true from seed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normal horticultural practices.

-   -   1. Deciduous, multiple, or single stemmed shrub to small tree.     -   2. Dense, broad, spreading to weeping in nature.     -   3. Fast growth rate under normal fertilization and moisture         conditions.     -   4. Unique blooming from early spring into fall.     -   5. Flower color is light pink as the buds open and quickly         change to white.     -   6. Mature foliage changes to an attractive yellow color in the         fall.     -   7. Attractive trunk structure when lower limbs are removed.     -   8. The grayish colored bark exfoliates to reveal a beige         coloration.     -   9. Attractive trunk and stem structure during the winter.     -   10. Adaptable to a wide range of soil types from acidic to         alkaline and sand to clay.     -   11. Heat and drought tolerant.     -   12. Easily propagated with softwood cuttings in the spring and         summer.     -   13. Tolerates full sun.     -   14. Hardy to Zone 7.     -   15. Relatively pest resistant.     -   16. Good specimen plant.     -   17. Very desirable in planters     -   18. Requires little pruning but is tolerant if pruning is         needed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This new Lagerstroemia hybrid variety is illustrated by the accompanying photographic prints in which:

FIG. 1 is a photograph of a close-up of the flowers of the new Lagerstroemia hybrid cultivar of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a photograph showing the dense, broad, spreading to weeping growth habit of a young three gallon (11.4 liter) plant of the new Lagerstroemia hybrid cultivar of the present invention.

The colors shown are as true as is reasonably possible to obtain by conventional photographic procedures. Colors in the photographs may appear different than actual colors due to light reflectance. The colors of the various plant parts are defined with reference to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 edition. Description of colors in ordinary terms are presented where appropriate for clarity in meaning.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of the new variety of Crapemyrtle based on observations made of two year old plants grown in one to three gallon (3.8-11.4 Liter) containers in wholesale commercial production practices, in greenhouses, and in established landscape plantings.

DISTINCTIVE CHARASTERISTICS

TABLE 1 Lagerstroemia x ‘Gamad V’ Lagerstroemia x Lagerstroemia x U.S. Plant Pat. Characteristic ‘JD900’ ‘Acoma’ No. 17,411 Height 6-10′ (1.8-3 m) 10-12′ (3-3.6 m) 3-4′ (0.9-1.2 m) (Mature) Width 6-10′ (1.8-3 m) 10-12′ (3-3.6 m) 3-4′ (0.9-1.2 m) (Mature) Leaf Length 1-1 11/16″ 1½-2¾″ 1⅝″ (2.5-4.3 cm) (3.8-7 cm) (4.2 cm) Leaf Width ⅝-1⅛″ ¾-1⅜″ 1 3/16″ (1.6-2.8 cm) (1.9-3.5 cm) (2.1 cm) Flower Color Red-Purple G. 62D White G. 155C Red-Purple To White G. 155C G. 73B Bloom Period Mid May-September Late June to Late June to (Approx. 120 days) September September (Approx. 90 days) (Approx. 90 days) Growth Habit Dense, broad and Dense, broad and Compact, broad spreading to spreading to and rounded weeping weeping Bark Color Greyed Brown Greyed Brown Greyed-White G. 199D G. 199C G. 156A

Lagerstroemia hybrid ‘Acoma’ (unpatented) and Lagerstroemia hybrid ‘Gamad V’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,411 are well known in the industry and are comparable to ‘JD900’ in that all are deciduous and can be maintained as either a shrub or small tree. However, there are many differences. The growth habit of ‘JD900’ is dense, broad and spreading to weeping and 6-10′ (1.8-3 m) tall compared to ‘Acoma’ which is a taller grower to 10-12′ (3-3.6 m). ‘Gamad V’ has a mature height of 3-4′ (0.9-1.2 m), a compact mounded growth habit and pink flowers.

CLASSIFICATION

-   Botanical: Lagerstroemia (indica×fauriei) ‘JD900’. -   Parentage: Openly pollinated seedling of Lagerstroemia     (indica×fauriei) ‘Acoma’. -   Commercial: Deciduous tree or shrub. -   Form: Dense, broad, spreading to weeping. -   Height: 6′-10′ (1.8-3 m). -   Width: 6′-10′ (1.8-3 m). -   Growth rate: Fast under normal fertilization and moisture     conditions. Softwood cuttings taken in the spring and summer produce     cuttings in 1 to 2 months. Root development is vigorous and finely     branched. These 6″ (15 cm) tall cuttings planted in 3 gallon (11.4     liter) containers in the fall are 16″ to 20″ (41-51 cm) tall with     profuse flowering the following year. The plant normally grows at     the rate of about 10″ to 14″ (25-35 cm) per year and reaches a     height of 6′ to 10′ (1.8-3 m) and a spread of 6′ to 10′ (1.8-3 m) at     maturity while maintaining a dense habit due to the abundant branch     development. -   Foliage: Alternate to subopposite, simple, deciduous, elliptic and     varying in size from 1″ to 1 11/16″ (2.5-4.3 cm) long and ⅝″ to 1⅛″     (1.6-2.8 cm) wide. The apex is acute and the base is cuneate. The     margins are entire and the leaf venation is pinnate. The petioles     are 1/16″ to ⅛″ (0.2-0.3 cm) long, 1/32″ (0.08 cm) in diameter and     puberulent. Midveins and laterals are puberulent and prominent on     the upper surface and undersurface. Immature petioles, upper surface     midveins and leaf margins are Greyed-Red Group 182B. The petioles     mature to Green Group 137B and the margins mature to Yellow-Green     Group 147A. Immature lateral veins are Yellow-Green Group 146D upper     surface and undersurface and mature to Yellow-Green Group 146C upper     surface and undersurface. Immature midveins are also Yellow-Green     Group 146D undersurface. Mature midveins are Yellow-Green Group 146C     upper surface and undersurface. These immature foliage colors last     three to four weeks. The upper surface of the immature leaves is     glossy, glabrous and is Green Group 137C and the underside is     Yellow-Green Group 146D. This immature foliage matures to Green     Group 137A upper surface and Green Group 146B undersurface in one to     two weeks. Mature upper surface is glossy and glabrous and the     undersurface is matte. Mature foliage color persists until the onset     of cool weather in the fall. At this point the leaf color changes to     Yellow Group 13B and persist until the leaves fall. Initial spring     growth occurs in March. After the initial spring flush there is     almost continuous growth until fall ending in about late October or     early November. When grown in full sun, the internode length of this     plant is ½″ to ⅞″ (1.3-2.2 cm). When grown in light shade the     internode length is 1″ to 1½″ (2.6-3.8 cm). As would be expected, a     plant grown in shade results in a taller, less dense plant with     larger leaves. -   Stems: The young shoots are slender, angled, glabrous and have a     reddish pigmentation, Greyed-Red Group 182B when exposed to direct     sunlight. Young shoots which are shaded from direct sunlight are     Yellow-Green Group 144B. This new growth becomes Brown Group 200D     and rounded in four to five weeks. After one or more years the stems     become smooth, sinewy, Greyed-Brown Group 199B and eventually begin     to exfoliate revealing the underlying color Greyed-Brown Group 199C.     Branching habit is heavy. The pith is solid and uniform. -   Flowers: Perfect, 1¼″ to 1½″ (3.1-3.8 cm) in diameter, ½″ to ¾″     (1.3-1.9 cm) in depth, non-fragrant, borne on dense, upright     glabrous, 5″ to 7″ (12.7-17.8 cm) high, 4″ to 5″ (10.2-12.7 cm) wide     terminal panicles, on current season's growth from mid-May through     September. Flowers normally open from the base of the panicle     progressing upward. Each panicle has from 8 to 12 racemes which have     from 3 to 18 flowers each, resulting in 200 or more flowers per     panicle. A mature plant can have hundreds of panicles. Flower buds     are rotund, ¼″ to ⅜″ (0.6-0.9 cm) long, ¼″-⅜″ (0.6-0.9 cm) wide and     Greyed-Red Group 182B when exposed to direct sunlight. Young buds     which are shaded from direct sunlight are Yellow-Green Group 144B.     Flower color is light pink, Red-Purple Group 62D, as the buds open     and quickly changes to white Group 155C front and back. The flowers     are attached to pedicels which are ¼″ to 7/16″ (0.6-1.1 cm) in     length, smooth, glabrous and Yellow-Green Group 144B. The peduncle     of each raceme is from 1″ to 4¼″ (2.5-10.8 cm) long, tomentose and     Yellow-Green Group 144B. Each flower has six petals that are ⅝″     (1.6 cm) long, ½″ (1.3 cm) wide; the blade is cordate-orbicular and     crisped. The flower has 35 to 36 stamens in a cluster, 30 of which     are shorter 5/16″ (0.8 cm) long and located in the center. There are     5 to 6 longer 9/16″ (1.4 cm) stamens which are located around the     outside. The shorter stamens are Yellow-Orange Group 150D and the     longer stamens are Yellow-Green Group 150C. The anthers are     Yellow-Orange Group 20B. The pollen matures to Yellow Group 13B. The     single pistil is ⅝″ (1.6 cm) long and Yellow-Green Group 145B. The     ovary is single, 1/16″ (0.2 cm) in diameter, with no pubescence and     Yellow-Green Group 150C. Each flower has six sepals that are 3/16″     (0.5 cm) long by ⅛″ (0.3 cm) wide, lanceolate and fused into a     calyx. The calyx is ⅜″ to ½″ (0.9-1.3 cm) in diameter, ⅜″ to 7/16″     (0.9-1.1 cm) in depth, has entire margins and acuminate tips. The     outer surface of the calyx is Greyed-Red Group 182B when exposed to     direct sunlight and Yellow-Green Group 144B when shaded from direct     sunlight. The inner surface is Yellow-Green Group 145C. Flowering     period is from mid May through September. The self-cleaning blooms     last eight to ten days on the plant in the garden. -   Fruit: Broad-ellipsoidal six-valved dehiscent capsule, ⅜″ to ½″     (0.9-1.3 cm) in diameter. Summer fruit color Yellow-Green Group 143C     ripens to Green Group 137A in the fall and persists as Green Group     137A through the winter. The mature capsule opens in the fall to     release 12-16 glabrous winged seeds which are 3/16″ to ¼″     (0.5-0.6 cm) long and Brown Group 200D. Normal fruitset is heavy. -   Culture: Grows well in a wide range of conditions. Tolerates full     sun. Adaptable to a wide range of soil types from acidic to alkaline     and sand to clay. Tolerates heat and drought when established.     Reponds well to mulching and medium applications of fertilizer. Very     little pruning is needed. Ideal for coastal regions and warmer parts     of the Piedmont. Cold-hardiness and resistance to diseases and     insects are comparable to the parent variety. Propagated with     softwood cuttings in the spring and summer. -   Disease and insect resistance: Resistance to diseases and insects     common to Lagerstroemia has not been observed.

The exemplary embodiments herein disclosed are not intended to be exhaustive or to unnecessarily limit the scope of the invention. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the present invention so that others skilled in the art may practice the invention. 

1. A new and distinct variety of Lagerstroemia plant named ‘JD900’ as illustrated and described herein. 